The Shadow of Horus : Part 2
by Saria1
Summary: A familiar villain is back....


Hundreds of men clad in black stood and bowed as Ardeth Bay rode into the Med ~ jai camp upon his black horse . With the grace and ease of many long years of practice , the Med ~ jai chief swung down from his saddle .  
A glance summoned his second~in~command , who rushed to his side .  
"Have there been any new events while I was away?" he asked in Arabic , the Med ~ jai's native tongue .  
" Nothing has happened , my lord ," the man , Ardasi,  
replied . Ardeth nodded and turned back to his horse , gently lifting Horus onto his arm . Ardasi 's eyes widened in surprise , but he said nothing . Jendi however , had no such compunctions .  
" Horus!" Ardeth's young Med ~ jai friend yelled out. "But I thought he was~" Ardasi wheeled on Jandi , his eyes bulging in fury .  
" How dare you speak out in the presence of a Med ~ jai chief !" Ardasi said in a deadly whisper .  
" Ardasi , that is enough," Ardeth said calmly .  
The furious man narrowed his eyes and turned back to Ardeth . "Kizalg , take care of my horse," Ardeth ordered one of his men before he ducked into his tent , Horus balancing on his arm . Jendi rushed over to help Kizalg .  
" It was Horus ! I recognize his eyes!" Jendi whispered as he brushed the horse's dark mane .  
" It couldn't be! Horus was shot , remember? He just got another falcon !" Kizalg whispered back , wiping the sweat off of the plain leather saddle Ardeth used . Just as Jendi opened his mouth to reply , the call sounded for bed. Hastily , the two young men turned the horse out to graze , then went off to bed.  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
200 miles away , Evelyn O'Connel turned over in her bed , restless and wide awake . She couldn't exactly pin~point it , but something felt wrong . Suddenly she realized what it was . Alex ! Evy leapt out of bed and rushed to her son's room , her heart racing . He lay in his bed , sound asleep . Evy sighed , relieved and at the same time exasperated . She was still a bit overprotective of him since he had been kidnapped . Evy walked quietly back to her and Rick's room and slipped back into the bed . She turned over , and would have screamed if a hand hadn't suddenly covered her mouth . Someone switched on the lamp , revealing a terrifying seen . Rick , obviously sedated , was slumped in a chair a few feet from the bed . And where Rick should have been laying sat Imhotep , smiling evilly .   
" Greetings , Ahnk-sun-amun," he said in Ancient Egyptian . Suddenly , a scuffling sound came from the hall . Alex was pulled into the room by a large , rough looking man.  
" Mum? Whats going on?" the boy asked , looking around in confusion . Then his eyes found Imhotep .  
"You! How'd you get here?" Looking at Evy again , " Mum , didn't dad kill him?" The hand covering Evy's mouth was moved , enabling her to speak.  
"I don't know , Alex ," she said as she felt the sting of a needle slipping into her arm . "I don't know."  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
All Evy remembered of the journey to the Med ~ jai camp was the heat and the sand . Every single day , each one seeming to last a year , was filled with sand and heat . After what seemed eons to Evy they stopped several miles away from the camp . She and Alex were put in a tent together , with guards outside 24/7. Evy could hear Imhotep and other men talking , but they were too far away to be understood . After a few days they were taken out and brought to Imhotep's tent . When they entered , Imhotep smiled mockingly at Evelyn and motioned her closer . Suddenly her grabbed her arm .  
" Listen to me very closely , Mrs.O'Connel ~ or should I say , Ahnk~sun~amun?" Imhotep said . Eyes narrowed , Evy listened . " Your life and that of your son depend on following my instructions exactly. Do you understand?" Normally , Evelyn would have rebelled and tried to break free , but she heard the subtle yet deadly hinting about Alex clearly . So she nodded . Imhotep smiled again .  
" Good . Now listen . You will ride into the Med ~ jai camp , pretending to be visiting their chief , Ardeth Bey." Evy's eyes flickered . " But you already know who he is, don't you?" Evelyn nodded slowly . "Then I don't have to explain him to you . After a few days, you will ask , 'just to check something' to see the Book of the Dead and the Book of Ah~mun~rah . He will most likely oblige . If he does not….."  
" Then I will find some way to make him," she said , her voice calm but her eyes furious . Imhotep nodded.  
"One way or another you will acquire the Books and then bring them back to me . And I suggest that you do not try to warn them . If you do , your son may have a tragic accident . Do you have any questions?"  
" Yes. First of all : weren't you dead? I thought you died when your precious Ahnk~sun~amun wouldn't help you?" she asked . Imhotep visibly flinched . Evy smiled to herself ; she had hit his weak spot .   
" I thought you would have learned by now ," he said, composing himself . " I do not die as easily as a mere human ." He spat out the last word with disgust and hatred , as if it were some nasty taste he was trying to rid his mouth of . "Hesiz!" he called . The man who had brought Alex into Evelyn and Rick's bedroom ducked into the tent , bowing low to Imhotep . "Hesiz is the leader of the Jezari , a group of my most loyal followers who have waited to resurrect me ."  
" Why wait until now? Why not years ago?" Evy interrupted , glancing at Hesiz.  
" If I may suggest , my lord , it is not wise to tell her too much," Hisiz muttered in Ancient Egyptian to Imhotep . Evy laughed .  
" I understand Egyptian , you dolt ," Evy said calmly to him in the same tongue . His eyes widened in surprise .  
" If I did not owe you my life , you would no longer have your head . Do not ever presume to tell me what is wise," Imhotep said softly to Hesiz . "Leave us ," he commanded . Hesiz nodded and bowed himself out . " In their prophecies state that their leader must assist in my third resurrection . So they waited . They waited for years and years. And then it was time for them to act ," he finished .  
" Oh ," Evy said simply . " But what about Rick? I haven't seen him since you took us? Is he still alive?"  
" Of course he is. He fulfills another prophecy which may yet be used in my favor. He is in the same position as your son . If you warn the Med~jai…." Imhotep trailed off ominously .   
" Well , If you're quite done , I'd like to return to my tent," Evy said , turning to leave . Imhotep grabbed her arm .  
" Do not become too impolite with me , Mrs.O'Connel . I hold in my hands the lives of your husband and son . Do not forget ." He released her arm , staring into her eyes. "Do not forget ," he whispered in Egyptian as she lifted the flap of the tent and left .  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
Exactly two days later Evy O'Connel was seated on a brownish horse , things that Imhotep's men had taken from her room packed in a bag behind her . Imhotep slapped the horse's rump to speed it on it's way . Soon it was trotting at a comfortable pace, on its way to the Med~jai camp . Within a few minutes tents were visible , coming closer every moment . Evy spurred her horse on , wanting to give Ardeth even more reason to be suspicious . Before , whenever Ardeth had seen Evy riding it was on a camel . If Evy rode into the camp on a sweating horse, Ardeth would probably know something was wrong . Finally Evy reached the Med ~ jai camp . Sentries posted several hundred feet away from camp held up their hands to stop her .  
"Why are you here?" asked one of the sentries.  
" I have come to see Ardeth Bey," Evelyn said , summoning up all the English haughtiness she could muster. The sentry narrowed his eyes.  
" What business do you have with our chief?" he asked , clearly suspicious . And with good reason, Evy thought.  
" I have come to visit him . I am his friend ," she said , slightly lifting her chin .  
" Stay here," he ordered . Walking swiftly back to camp. A few moments later Ardeth himself came out to greet her .   
" Mrs.O'Connel! What a rare pleasure to see you !" he exclaimed , giving her one of his few smiles that were genuine , while at the same time swiftly looking over her horse , its lather~streaked neck , and her eyes . Her eyes weren't the happy eyes of someone greeting a friend . They were the eyes of someone trying to alert people to danger. They were narrowed in concentration , trying to make him understand . He cocked his head slightly, and she just barely shook hers in response . Not now, she told him through her eyes. Later. He smiled again and helped her off the horse , motioning for one of his men to tend to it.  
"Please , come with me," he said indicating his tent . She smiled and obliged, ducking inside while he held the flap. Immediately he let the smile drop and whipped around to face her.  
" What is going on?" He asked immediately .  
"You were riding a horse , it was covered in sweat . And that silent conversation outside?" One corner of his mouth crooked in a smile . "I got the impression that you did not wish to discuss this in front of the sentries?" She smiled and nodded .  
" Its Imhotep ," she said , leaning closer to him . "He's back . Apparently there is a group of his 'most loyal followers'. I think they were called the umm… the Jezari! From they way he explained it , they sounded like the exact opposite of you."  
" He explained~ you have met the creature recently?" Ardeth asked , his brows snapping together.  
" Met?" Evy laughed. "He and his followers took us from our house!"  
" I see.." Ardeth said vaguely , thinking hard .   
"But why did the creature send you here?" he asked.  
" For the Books! He needs them for something, which gives us the advantage ," she replied , as if it were the most obvious thing in the world .  
" But he is holding your son and husband hostage , is he not?" Ardeth asked , looking at her in concern . Evy nodded sadly.  
" That's the problem . Imhotep says if I warn you , something might happen to them ," she said worry for them filling her eyes . Ardeth sat thinking , staring off into space . Suddenly he jumped to his feet.  
" I can't believe I did not think of this before!" he exclaimed . Evy looked at him curiously. "Ages ago copies of the Books were made , for an occasion such as this."  
"There were copies of the Books?!" she exclaimed , also jumping to her feet .  
" They are not just duplicates , however . Whoever reads from it will be trapped until a passage from the real book is read. You will deliver the copies to the creature, and when he is trapped my men and I will attack . Come. There is no more time for words. We must prepare." Evy followed Ardeth out of the tent and into the bright sunlight , praying that this would work .  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
Ardeth and all of his men stood ready from various positions around Imhotep's camp . Evy had stayed with the Med~jai another day , and then set out for the other camp . She would reach it any minute now . Ardeth squinted into a pair of binoculars borrowed from Evy.  
"She has reached the camp," he said in a low voice to one of his men . Inform the other units . The young man rushed off to obey. He watched as Evy entered Imhotep's tent , smiling grimly to herself . A few moments later Imhotep came out of the tent , holding the golden Book carefully while the other Book was held by a scribe.  
He opened it , smiling wickedly as he turned the golden pages. Apparently he found the page he was looking for, because he stopped turning . "Prepare yourselves," Ardeth whispered to his men . Imhotep began to speak . Suddenly , he froze , not moving a single muscle . Surrounded by a greenish light , he floated several feet into the air . Just as Ardeth opened his mouth to order an attack , Rick charged out of one of the tents , heading staright for Imhotep.  
"Rick! No!" Evelyn screamed running forward to stop him . Rick halted abruptly , looking around in confusion . In that instant Imhotep's men were upon him , swords drawn .  
" Attack!!" Ardeth yelled , spurring his horse forward toward the camp . Rick was surrounded by a mob of men , barely managing to fend them off . Evy was prying a sword from the hands of a man Rick had slain .  
Alex was nowhere to be seen . And Imhotep was still floating , glowing with a strange green light as the Med~jai horses galloped toward them . "Save the girl and find the young boy! Take them to safety!" Ardeth yelled to the warrior nearest him . "What of the man?" he called back . "He can fight for himself ," Ardeth yelled . As an afterthough : " Tell Jendi to help him!" The warrior nodded and raced off to find Jendi . The Med ~ jai and Imhotep's men clashed as they reached the edges of the camp . With one carefully aimed swipe of his sword Ardeth decapitated three men . The battle continued this way for several minutes , Evy and Jendi helping Rick ; the Med ~ jai out-numbering Imhotep's men three to one .Horus soared above the battle dropping onto men who wren't quite dead . When the last Jezari lay dead the Med ~ jai finally stopped . Ardeth went over to where Evy and Rick were bent over something in the ruins of a tent , glancing up to see where Horus had gotten to . The falcon had perched on one of the few standing tents , preening his feathers . As he approached Evy turned , her face streaked with tears .  
"What is wrong?" he asked , looking at her in concern .  
" Alex," she whispered ,shifting slightly to let him see . The young boy lay sprawled on a blanket , with several deep gashes on his face and neck .   
" Please move , Mrs.O'Connel ," he said kindly , gently positioning her next to Rick , who gathered her in his arms .   
"Someone bring a bag of medicines!" Ardeth yelled , checking Alex's pulse . A relatively unharmed warrior rushed over , handing a pouch to Ardeth . Reaching inside , he pulled out several jars of different colored substances , which he smeared over Alex's various cuts and bruises . He then took out a smaller pouch of some kind of powdered herb , which he waved under Alex's nose . The boy woke with a start , sitting bolt upright and looking around wildly.  
" Alex!" Evy yelled joyfully , running to his side .  
" Alex ," she whispered as she cradled him in her arms , rocking back and forth .  
" Mum," Alex said irritably as he tried in vain to push her off .  
" You scared us , Alex," Rick said as he ruffled the boy's hair .  
" What?" he asked , finally managing to stand up. " The guard wasn't paying attention and I saw Dad running toward that mummy dude, so I kicked him and he fell over . Then a bunch more guards came and tried using the other guard's sword but it was heavy," Alex explained . Evy just smiled and hugged him . She released him and turned to Ardeth .  
" Thank you so much , Ardeth . I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't been here ," she said glancing back at Alex , who was describing his adventures in detail to Rick .  
" I could've done something," Rick grumbled as Ardeth nodded and turned to ask the man who had brought the pouch something .  
" Yes , but you didn't have a bag of medicine , darling ," she said , smiling up at him .   
"That's true ," he admitted , smiling back . "Do you think Ardeth would let us hire him? As a nanny for Alex?" Rick said jokingly as he watched Alex trot after Ardeth , watching him read out of the real golden Book to trap Imhotep permanently . Evy snorted .  
" Ardeth hardly seems the type to be a nanny ," she laughed. " I can just picture him in an apron , reading him bedtime stories."  
" Hey , you never know! With whats-his-name out of commission," Rick countered as they walked arm in arm around the ruins of the camp .   
"It might happen ," Evy said , fighting to keep a straight face .  
"Hey Ardeth!" Rick yelled as Evy burst into a fit of giggles. "Do you feel up to wearing aprons and reading bedtime stories?" Ardeth looked at him in confusion and then shook his head , going back to helping Alex read (not out loud) from the Book of Ah~mun~rah . Evy managed to stop giggling and walked over with Rick to Ardeth and Alex .  
"What were you talking about?" Ardeth asked , looking at Rick . Evy began giggling again but managed to control herself.  
" Are you okay , Mum?" Alex asked looking up from the golden pages of the Book .  
"I've never been better," she said , smiling and hugging him again . "I've never been better ."  
Ardeth smiled as Horus soared down and landed on his arm , thinking the same thing.  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   
End of Part 2  
  
Note : Please don't kill me! I'm going to explain more about Horus in Part 3 !  
Note 2: I don't own any of the characters except Jendi, Hesiz, and Kizalg .   
  
  



End file.
